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St. Augustine Architecture Gallery
For years I heard talk about the legendary beauty of St. Augustine, Florida. Established by the Spanish in 1565, then later inhabited by filthy rich oil tycoons, rumor held it was a historic town filled with fabulous architecture. I admit I was never quite convinced, certain its charm was exaggerated. It was not. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. From the 17th century Castillo de San Marcos, to the grand hotels designed by Carrère and Hastings, it is an absolute architectural dream.
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Corkscrew Swamp- Naples, FL
Primordial and virtually untouched, Corkscrew Swamp in truly a place like no other. Really. Heavy lumbering following World War II decimated most of Southern Florida’s ancient cypress forests, endangering not only the rot resistant trees, but the diverse wildlife that lived among their tangled roots and knees. In 1954, funds were raised to purchase 2240 acres of the last remaining stand of ancient bald cypress left in North America. An additional 640 acres were later donated by the Lee-Tidewater Cypress Company; considering it was their actions that cleared the forests, it was the least they could do. Remote and largely inaccessible, the Audubon Society had been protecting wading birds in…
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Raptor Bay Golf Club- Bonita Springs, FL
Raptor Bay is a fabulous resort course, with scenery for days. Although located adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, you don’t have to stay there to play. Not too challenging, it makes for a great warm up course for some of the areas more challenging tracks. Winding through low lying marshland, the wildlife here is as exciting as the golf. Full of osprey, great egrets and herons, the bird diversity at this Audubon International Certified Sanctuary is an absolute dream. Immensely playable, and kept in immaculate condition, it’s a fabulous course for a fun round.
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LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort- Naples, FL
My recent post about the Granville Inn uncovered a connection between the grand Jacobethan Revival Manor and the development of Naples, Florida. This got me thinking about the quaint seaside city. Contrary to popular belief, there are some extremely nice areas of Florida. Areas that combine mild winter weather, beautiful beaches and charming old construction; Naples is one of them. It’s no wonder why it is one of the most expensive areas in the country. And while there are many fabulous hotels in town, the sugar sand beach is where you want to be. In the throes of winter, few places are more pleasant than the LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort. LaPlaya…
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Tampa Bay Hotel/Plant Museum- Tampa, FL
Not surprising, Florida has been a popular winter destination for as long as people have been able to get there. It was one of the first resort destinations developed by early railroad magnates, who sought to attract wealthy Northerners looking to escape frigid temperatures. Thankfully, many of these grand hotels still exist; while some still welcome overnight guests, a large number are now museums. One such beauty is the Tampa Bay Hotel, now owned by the University of Tampa, and operated as the Henry B. Plant Museum. Henry B. Plant was a wildly successful railroad tycoon, who worked his way up from a captain’s boy on a steamboat to president…
